The Daily Chronicle

Other Views: Legislature Should Act to Balance Government

Washington lawmakers this year eschewed the opportunity to add some balance to state government. But the coronavirus pandemic has illuminated the issue and should compel the Legislature to reconsider … more

The Columbian Editorial Board | 4/14/21

Julie McDonald Commentary: Family Shocked, Saddened After Dog Kills Beloved Pet in Backyard

As she’s done every morning for years, Aime Silvestre cracked open the back door of her King Road home March 29 to let out her fluffy, white Yorkie Pomeranian. On that cold Monday morning, … more

By Julie McDonald | 4/12/21

The Washington State Capitol building is seen on Saturday in Olympia.

Guest Commentary: Assisted Living Communities Have Been Left Behind on COVID-19 Funding

The past year has challenged us all. For caregivers working in assisted living communities and our peers in health care, it can be a struggle to put into words what our staff, residents and our … more

By Tammy Jones | 4/12/21

Brian Mittge Commentary: If the Unthinkable Happens, How Will You Go?

Last Monday morning around 7:30, a semi-truck driver was headed down a hill in southeast Tacoma. It was a normal drive down a wooded but busy street. As he neared the intersection and traffic light … more

4/9/21 | 2 comments

Michael Wagar Commentary: Time to Embrace ‘Broken Windows’ Concept in Attacking Local Crime

I visited a friend in need in Seattle about a month ago. As I drove from the downtown waterfront through the Chinatown-International District and up onto Beacon Hill, my favorite big city was showing … more

4/9/21

Moderna vaccines are distributed at the Chehalis Tribal Clinic on Tuesday in Oakville.

Other Views: Washington Smokers Now Get Vaccine Priority; Our Gut Doesn't Approve But Our Head Does

As of last week, thousands of smokers of all ages, whether current or former, are automatically eligible for COVID-19 vaccinations in our state. No proof of purchase or breath test required. No … more

By The News Tribune Editorial Board | 4/8/21

FILE PHOTO — Bill Moeller walks along the fence line in Centralia.

Bill Moeller Commentary: Springing Forward With a Lewis County Curmudgeon

It’s curmudgeon time again, folks. Contained here are a few things that have caught my attention in the last six months or so. You may add to the list if you want, but that entails being … more

By Bill Moeller / For The Chronicle | 4/7/21

Richard Stride Commentary: How Are We to Live Now? That’s Up to You

Francis A. Schaeffer in his book “How Should We Then Live? The Rise and Decline of Western Thought and Culture” ponders this question. Schaeffer is considered by many scholars to be one … more

By Richard Stride | 4/7/21

Guest Commentary: Surging State Revenue Should Quell Talk of Raising Taxes Amid Ongoing Pandemic

As state lawmakers enter the final weeks of the 2021 legislative session — and the start of the second year of the pandemic — the condition of the state budget is nothing short of … more

By Kris Johnson | 4/5/21

Julie McDonald Commentary: Inability to Breathe a Terrifying Experience

A week ago, after looking at a used car for my daughter, I crawled behind the steering wheel in our car, whipped off my mask, wrapped it over my rearview mirror, and swallowed. Suddenly, I … more

4/5/21

Brian Mittge Commentary: ‘These Are Tough Times’: Parenting Help Available

If you’re parenting a teen or pre-teen, odds are that you sometimes wish you could have a little help from someone with experience, insight and ideas tailored to your troubles. Fortunately, … more

4/2/21

FILE PHOTO — A worker sorts out canisters of various strains of marijuana at The Herbal Center in Tenino in April 2015.

Michael Wagar Commentary: The State Should Use Pot Tax to Fund More Drug Treatment

The state Supreme Court ruling on Feb. 25 that simple drug possession is no longer a felony had Lewis County scrambling for answers, but for now, there is a pause in local deliberations over the … more

By Michael Wagar / For The Chronicle | 4/2/21

Damage in Adna from the 2007 Chehalis River flood.

Guest Commentary: Memories of 2007 Flood Fuel Hopes for Future in Adna

Adna is a small, rural town, 126 years old, located just 6 miles west of Interstate 5. It lies in the valley and hills along the Chehalis River. Our community shows a fierce dedication to … more

By Shanda Veatch | 4/2/21

Bill Moeller Commentary: A Poem Remembering Love Caught My Eye

You may recall I made a pledge around the beginning of winter that for the duration of its nasty days and evenings, I would concentrate on re-reading books that I had saved because I enjoyed them so … more

By Bill Moeller / For The Chronicle | 3/31/21

FILE PHOTO — Prairie Creek flows under a new culvert on Bunker Creek Road. The concrete structure replaced a metal pipe that had been obstructing the passage of salmon. The newly planted tree is part of revegetation efforts to improve habitat in the creek.

Other Views: Washington’s Culvert Challenge Deserves Federal Funding

A federal court order to open up hundreds of fish passages beneath roads by 2030 has been Washington’s burden for years. This $3.7 billion undertaking deserves federal funding so it does not … more

By The Seattle Times Editorial Board | 3/31/21

A checkpoint is seen at the Capitol in Olympia.

Julie McDonald Commentary: Per-Mile Vehicle Tax Will Hurt Rural Residents

If you live in a rural area, state and federal lawmakers plan to pick your pocket. Washington state lawmakers and U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg have proposed state and federal taxes … more

By Julie McDonald / For The Chronicle | 3/29/21

Gov. Jay Inslee speaks during a tour of often-flooded areas in Lewis County on Thursday, June 1, 2017, at the Adna Grange.

Our Views: Inslee Deserves Credit for Focus on Flooding, Fish in the Chehalis Basin

This editorial board does not praise Gov. Jay Inslee every day. We often disagree with his politics and his policies, including his positions on new taxes and government … more

By The Chronicle Editorial Board | 3/29/21

The Washington State Capitol building is seen in Olympia.

Other Views: Keep Washington’s Mom-and-Pop Landlords in Business

State leaders are right to prevent pandemic-related residential evictions. Droves of Washingtonians shouldn’t be turned out into the street when eviction moratoriums eventually expire. But … more

By The Seattle Times Editorial Board | 3/29/21

Letter: Herrera Beutler Requests Release of Report on U.S. Capitol Complex Breach

Note: House Legislative Branch Subcommittee Chairman Tim Ryan, of Ohio, and Ranking Member Jaime Herrera Beutler, R-Battle Ground, on Monday called on the United States Capitol Police Board to … more

3/29/21

Brian Mittge Commentary: Remember to Retain Simplicity as Life’s Dance Resumes

This morning, my family swirled and sidestepped through our little house in a highly choreographed but always improvisational get-ready-for-the-day routine. There were dogs to greet, beds to … more

By Brian Mittge / For The Chronicle | 3/26/21